Psalm 119:87 They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not Your precepts.
And why did they not quite consume him? Because "the eyes
of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show
Himself strong in behalf of them, whose heart is perfect
toward Him." "Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; the
remainder of wrath shall You restrain." And why have not our spiritual enemies consumed us upon earth? "Satan has
desired to have us, that he may sift us as wheat." But-says the
Savior-"I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not." "My
sheep shall never perish; neither shall any pluck them out of
My hand." Steadfastness of profession is the evidence of the
life of faith: grounded upon this security, the more we are
shaken, the more we shall hold fast. Neither long-continued
distress, nor determined opposition, will turn us from the ways
of God. We would rather forsake all that our heart held dear
upon earth, than the precepts of our God. With whatever
intensity of affection we love father and mother (and the
influence of the Gospel has increased the sensibilities of
relative affection), we remember who has said- "He who loves
father and mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me." Unlike
the deluded professor, we have counted the cost of the
"tribulation and persecution" of the Gospel; and the result has
only served to confirm our love and adherence to our
heavenly Master. Shall not we find in heaven-no, do not we
find in the gospel-a far better portion than we lose?
When, therefore, we are tempted to neglect the precepts, or
when we fail to live in them, and to delight in them, let us each
bring our hearts to this test: 'What would I take in exchange
for them? Will the good-will and approbation of the world
compensate for the loss of the favor of God? Could I be
content to forego my greatest comforts, to "suffer the loss of
all things," yes, of life itself, rather than forsake one of the
ways of God? When I meet with such precepts as link me to
the daily cross, can I throw myself with simple dependence
upon that Savior, who has engaged to supply strength for
what He has commanded?' How often in times of spiritual
temptation, if not of temporal danger, they had almost
consumed us upon earth! but "in the mount" of difficulty "the
Lord has been seen." Oh! let each of us mark our road to Zion
with multiplied Ebenezers, inscribed Jehovah-jireh, Jehovahnissi. "By this I know You favor me, because my enemy does not triumph over me. And as for me, You uphold me in my
integrity, and set me before Your face forever."
What a fine testimony of the upholding grace of God! How
could a helpless believer stand against such an appalling
array? Yet it is a great, but a true word, suitable for a babe in
Christ, as well as for an Apostle-"I can do all things through
Christ that strengthens me." Yes, I can "wrestle even against
principalities and powers" of darkness, if I be "strong in the
